Army Specialist Corps
The United States Army Specialist Corps was a uniformed branch of civilian specialists employed by the U.S. Army during World War II. Men enlisted were not considered "upon active Military or Naval service".p. 201 Index Digest of the Published Decisions of the Comptroller General of the United States U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 Creation Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor the United States Army Services of Supply required the direct enlistment of a vast amount of experienced specialists, many whose age and physical fitness would not meet the standard army requirements. There was a great debate in the army whether these new specialists should be enlisted and placed in army uniform or remain civilians who could be enlisted at a more rapid rate than the usual requests for commissions. The United States Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson favoured a separate body of skilled specialists in business, technical and professional matters who would be uniformed but not have any command functions.p. 252 Eiler, Keith E. Mobilizing America: Robert P. Patterson and the War Effort, 1940-1945 Cornell University Press, 1997 Section 1 of Executive Order 9078, dated February 26, 1942,https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Executive_Order_9078 established "in the War Department, under the supervision and direction of the Secretary of War, a corps of uniformed civilian employees to be known as the Army Specialist Corps.".p. 257 Decisions of the Comptroller General of the United States, Volume 22 United States. General Accounting Office U.S. Government Printing Office, 1943 Selective Service registrants were ineligible with the ASC recruiting men over the age of 30, those that had a 3A Selective Service classification (registrant deferred because of hardship to dependents) or men under 30 categorised as 4F.p. 96 Specialist Corps Formed Popular Science Oct 1942 Dwight F. Davis was commissioned the Director General of the Army Specialist Corps (ASC). Skills Men were commissioned in rank from Second Lieutenant to Colonel and enlisted from Corporal to Master Sergeant for the duration of the war and six months after.Men Wanted: Uncle Sam Issues Call for Experts p. 97 Specialist Corps Formed Popular Science Oct 1942 Skills in demand were- * Engineers and Production Men * Chemists * Communications Men * Transportation Men * Businessmen, Bankers and Lawyers * Accountants * Warehousemen * Miscellaneous (linguists, entertainers) The Office of Strategic Services was initially considered by General George C. Marshall to be under the aegis of the ASC.p. 155 Troy, Thomas F. Donovan and the CIA: a history of the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency Central Intelligence Agency, Center for the Study of Intelligence, 1981 Uniforms and insignia Though a civilian organization, the ASC was given uniforms in order to comply with the Rules of War if members were captured by the enemy.Stimson, Henry L. On Active Services In Peace And War Read Books Ltd, 26 Aug. 2016 Initially, the ASC wore regular US Army olive drab or khaki cotton uniforms with the only insignia being the standard Army Noncombatant insignia. In July 1942 General Marshall authorised the wear of standard US Army uniforms but with grey plastic buttons and insignia; the "U.S" on the upper lapels of the dress tunic and "A.S.C." on the lower lapels in grey plastic along with a grey plastic distinctive United States Eagle holding a bolt of arrows hat badge. Standard army rank insignia was worn with a cloth burgundy coloured "A.S.C." tab worn beneath the chevrons.Emerson, William K. Encyclopedia of United States Army Insignia and Uniforms University of Oklahoma Press, 1996 A burgundy backing to the badges and cuff braid was also worn.p. 96 Specialist Corps Formed Popular Science Oct 1942 Army service numbers began with the letter "S"https://www.med-dept.com/articles/u-s-army-ww2-dog-tags/ Demise and disbandment During the period the Corps was being formed a large number of specialists were commissioned into the Army of the United States. Disadvantages of the increased complexity of duties in the army, the reluctance of military commanders losing picked civilian aids and specialists and the belated organisation of the Corps led to the disbandment of the ASC led to recruits being enlisted in the Army Service Forces.Stimson, Henry L. On Active Services In Peace And War Read Books Ltd, 26 Aug. 2016 The ASC was disbanded on 1 November 1942. After that date, specialists were commissioned into the Specialists Reserve Section of the Officers Reserve Corpsp. 79 Coles, Harry L. & Weinberg, Albert K. United States Army in World War II. Special Studies...: Civil affairs Volume 6 Government Printing Office, 1964 Famous members * Archibald Roosevelt Wilford, Hugh America's Great Game: The CIA's Secret Arabists and the Shaping of the Modern Middle East Hachette UK, 3 Dec. 2013 * Maurice Evans p. 236 Makaryk, Irene Rima & McHugh, Marissa Shakespeare and the Second World War: Memory, Culture, Identity University of Toronto Press, 2012 * Glenn Miller Spragg, Dennis M. Glenn Miller Declassified U of Nebraska Press, 2017 * Wayne KingDawson, Beverly Roberts Glenview Arcadia Publishing, 31 Mar. 2008 References Category:Military units and formations established in 1942 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1942 Category:Military units and formations of the United States Army in World War II